DEATH OF LORD GREY

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 20956, 9 September 1933, Page 13

DEATH OF LORD GREY

+ Many Tributes MEMORIAL SERVICE IN THE ABBEY (BRITISH (JiTJCUt. WirtEt.ESS.) (Received September 8, 7.5 p.m.) RUGBY, September 7. There will be a memorial service at Westminster Abbey on Monday for Lord Grey. Tributes to the statesman have been paid by all the leading politicians and the newspapers, irrespective of party, and in many quarters abroad. Some noteworthy tributes came from Mr Arthur Henderson, Mr Lloyd George, and Lord Ullswatcr. The last-named, a former Speaker of the House of Commons, says, "The speech he made on the eve of the declaration of the Great War ! was the most moving I ever heard in the House of Commons." The Government has received the following message from the Belgian Government: "The news of the death of Lord Grey, just received in Belgium, has caused deep emotion. The country remembers the important part played by this eminent statesman when its territory v.* as violated in 1914. The whole" nation faithfully preserves his memory and joins in the mourning ol the English people." The French Ambassador sent the following message: "The French Government heard with deep emotion of the death of Lord Faithful to the memory of a great statesman, who worked so hard for French and British friendship and for peace, the Government asks me to convey its deep sympathy and sorrow, which, it shares with the British nation.'' The text of the King's message to Lord Grey's sister (Mrs de Coet Logan) is: '1 am greatly moved at the news of the death of my old friend Lord Grey, who will ever be gratefully remembered for his devoted service to his country through three successive reigns. In those eventful years lie proved himself not only a distinguished statesman but a great Englishman. The Queen and I assure you and your family of our heartfelt sympathy."' PRAISE IN LONDON PRESS "NO NOBLER STATESMAN" FAILURE OF POLICY IN EUROPE (Received September 8, 9.40 p.m.) LONDON. September 8. The "Daily Telegraph" says that Lord Grey's constant and supreme object was the maintenance of peace. The failure to prevent war lay not with London but with Berlin. The "Daily Herald" says that in the long list of British statesmen there has probably been no nobler character than Lord Grey, yet there have been few who, despite rectitude of character and sincerity of purpose, have so helped to prepare for disaster. Believing that he was working for peace, justice, and freedom, he led himself and England into the mazes of diplomatic intrigue and conflicting creeds of the "balance of power," and when the full consequences came he couid •■■.i withdraw. His debt of honour had to be paid with a million lives. "Let us not forget," says the newspaper. EUROPE'S VIEWS GERMAN NEWSPAPERS ON LORD GREY (Received September 7, 9.10 p.m.) BERLIN, September 7. The "Borsen Zeitung" says that Great Britain, France, and America vainly fought the Prussian spirit, but Lord Grey has taken to his grave the knowledge that the Prussian spirit is immortal. The "Deutsche Allgemeine Zeitung" says that Lord Grey did not seek war, but he did not strive to avoid it, because he saw a favourable chance of overpowering the dangerous German rival. FRENCH REGRETS (Received September 8, 9.40 p.m.) PARIS, September 7. Leading statesmen and the newspapers are unanimous in deploring the death of a peace-loving leader, with the instincts of an English gentleman. 'Le Temps" recalls Lord Grey's speech in April, 1933, and says that it was the beginning of a change in British opinion in face of the Nazi menace. "By this grave warning, Lord Grey rendered a supreme service to his country and humanity," adds the newspaper. DEALINGS WITH AMERICA PRAISED (Received September 8, 9.40 p.m.) ROME, September 7. The newspapers emphasise Lord Grey's lifelong work for the maintenance of peace, and pay a tribute to his consummate tact in doling with the United States when that country was neutral.